Hebrew Today – Full Review

Hebrew Today is a publication house, specialized in developing linguistic tools for learning Hebrew language as well as publishing newspapers in Hebrew. The company is located in Jerusalem and their language solutions and publications are used by subscribers all over the world. With over 30 years of experience professionals in the fields of education, linguistics and journalism, Hebrew Today uses newspapers as a learning tool to provide a unique learning experience.

Hebrew Today has developed a methodology which is based on the presumption that the most effective way of learning a language is through enjoyable experience which simulates the real environment. Therefore, they publish reading materials in Modern Hebrew in order to help students understand this language and culture. The articles are engaging and relevant, with additional games and exercises to help readers practice grammar and vocabulary used in the articles.

Since the usage of Hebrew Today’s newspapers is completely flexible, student can learn at their own pace. Newspapers are published every two weeks with relevant stories on current events and holidays. This dynamic approach provides students with new stories and learning materials regularly in order to preserve consistency in the learning process. The newspapers include diverse topics, so there are articles for adults as well as for children.

How it works

Hebrew Today offers several products for learning Hebrew using newspaper articles, but before you choose one of them, you should determine your level of Hebrew. Use the quiz that is available on the website. After you complete the quiz, you will see a recommendation on where to start with learning Hebrew.

This product is designed for beginners who want to learn Hebrew from the basic level. There are four type of subscriptions you can choose from:

Bereshit Online – If you want to get online access to each edition, you can choose this subscription plan. The newspapers are identical to the printed edition, with additional usage of hyperlinks to enable quick navigation between articles and audio files. In addition, translation, Hebrew alphabet and grammar guide are also available.

Bereshit Print – If you prefer printed edition, this subscription is for you. The newspaper consists of 16 pages, with articles, word games, puzzles, etc. A dictionary to help you with translation, Hebrew alphabet and grammar guide are also included in this package.

Bereshit Print + CD – The usage of audio materials is a perfect way to supplement your printed edition of the newspapers. Besides the newspapers with the articles, games and a dictionary, you also get an audio CD, featuring articles in Hebrew.

Bereshit Print + CD + Online – This package includes printed edition, online subscription as well as the audio CD. It is a complete guide for learning Hebrew as it allows you access the files from any computer in order to practice online.

Yanshuf is a product designed for advanced learners, featuring articles, exercises, crosswords, puzzles and even recipes. Varieties of topics are introduces such as sports, nature, movies, science, and similar topics, which help you learn Hebrew language and culture. This product is available within four different packages, just like Bereshit.

Yanshuf Online – If you want to get access to the online edition of the newspapers, you should consider this package.

Yanshuf Print – This is perfect if you prefer printed edition of the newspapers.

Yanshuf Print + CD – This printed edition includes the CD with audio materials related to the newspaper articles.

Yanshuf Print + CD + Online – A full package enables you to get access to both online and printed edition, as well as the CD with audio files.

Hebrew – English Conversation Book – This book is a collection of conversations with accompanying CD to help you learn Hebrew in an interactive way. Each lesson is based on one of 18 conversations created to imitate the everyday situations. You start by reading the conversations and listening to the audio recording. After reading, you should try to understand the meaning. A dictionary is provided with each lesson to help you understand the meaning. Reinforce what you have learned through exercises and games. This book is also available in Portuguese and Spanish.

Biblical Hebrew Magazine + CD – This magazine consists of a workbook that features one part of the Bible. Each magazine comes with a CD, in order to hear the correct pronunciation of the texts. This package is a perfect solution for those interested in reading and interpreting the Bible. The magazine is created in such a way that it is interesting and engaging even for those who have no prior knowledge of Hebrew language. Besides the articles, the translation, and Biblical facts, the magazine includes the exercises.

Hebrew for Beginners + CD – Designed for absolute beginners, this package includes a textbook created based on the “Menorah Method”. This method is especially designed to accelerate learning process through practical exercises. The book comes with the CD and it is suitable for individual learning, as well as for the usage in the classroom.

Free resources

Besides free samples of each product, Hebrew Today offers free resources for students and teachers.

For students:

Articles

Photographed History

Quizzes list

Yanshuf Activities Answers

Yanshuf Dictionaries

References

For teachers:

Articles

Teaching methodology

Lesson ideas

References

How do I know if this service can be helpful for me? How to choose the right plan/level?

Use the test that is available on Hebrew Today website to determine your level of Hebrew. If you are an absolute beginner when it comes to learning Hebrew, Bereshit packages are recommended. On the other hand, if you want to improve the knowledge, use Yanshuf packages.

In order to see if this methodology is suitable for your learning style, you should take a look at free samples. These include excerpts from the newspapers published by Hebrew Today.

One-year subscription for Bereshit and Yanshuf package which includes print edition, audio CD and online access is $162. Hebrew Conversation Books for English, Portuguese and Spanish speakers are available at $35. Biblical Hebrew Magazine with CD costs $89.75, while Hebrew for Beginners with CD is $29.99.

Pros

The newspapers are published on a regular basis, which provides consistency in the learning process.

The newspapers are available in both printed and online format, with or without CD featuring Hebrew pronunciation.

There are a lot of interactive quizzes and games.

The conversation book is available in several languages.

Cons

The newspapers are created for individual learning.

There is no feedback from the teacher.

The learning process is mainly based on reading and listening.

FAQs

• Do I have to know the Hebrew alphabet in order to be able to use Bereshit?

No, you do not have to know the Hebrew alphabet, since you will be able to learn both alphabet and punctuation from Bereshit.

• What happens if I have chosen a wrong package?

Your subscription can be transferred to a different level without any additional costs.

• How many words will I learn after one-year subscription?

It is expected that you will learn to pronounce and successfully use around 1200 new words a year with Bereshit.

• How often are the newspapers published?

Both Bereshit and Yanshuf are published every two weeks. However, only one issue is printed for each level during the month of Sukkot (September or October) and Pesach (April or May). The newspapers are not published during July and August. In total, you will receive 18 issues of the newspapers during one-year subscription.

• How does shipping work?

The newspapers are sent via international airmail to any country that has a reciprocal postal arrangement with Israel. Usually, it takes 10 to 15 days for newspapers to be delivered. There are additional delivery costs depending on the country of residence.

Final Say

Hebrew Today uses method that engages students through interactive reading materials. This method focuses on reading and listening in order to comprehend and acquire the language. Both written and audio materials are created by professionals with lots of experience in teaching and writing. The lack of speaking practice is evident, and makes this course incomplete. However, it certainly provides helpful language materials and exercises. Although the newspapers are created for individual learning, they can be used for classroom activities. Hebrew Today provides plenty of resources for teachers and the usage of the newspapers in class is recommended as it brings the Modern Hebrew close to the students who are reading the articles.